BANANA: WHAT ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF BANANAS?

Bananas are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, making them the perfect fruit to serve at your breakfast table, as a midday snack, or post-dinner munchies. This fruit is misunderstood my most people who are on the lookout for shedding those extra pounds. Bananas help maintain a balanced diet and control your BMI.

Let us look at the major health and dietary benefits of bananas:

Reduced blood pressure: Potassium, which is present in bananas, is an essential mineral that enhances heart function and regulates blood pressure. American Heart Association states that bananas help in keeping your blood pressure levels intact and reduce the risk of cardiac arrest and stroke by about 20%. Potassium also nourishes your kidneys and help smooth passage of urine, thereby preventing kidney stones and other illnesses.

Increased metabolism: A banana contains just about 100 calories, which is about half the other “healthy snacks” that you might be consuming! With a glycemic index of about 52 and available carbohydrate content of about 24g, this fruit makes a great snack or even a good breakfast to help you get that extra dose of energy. Along with an increase in your energy levels, there is the bonus of easier weight management!

Better digestion: Bananas aid digestion since they are loaded with dietary fibre. These help in easy passage of stool and thereby reduce constipation. Apart from that, bananas also contain fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), which is a prebiotic element that helps develop good bacteria inside your digestive tract and absorb nutrients.

Healthier blood: Being rich in vitamin B6, bananas help maintain a proper level of haemoglobin in your blood. Vitamin B6 is also useful in controlling the sugar levels in your blood by breaking down amino acids to produce antibodies. Just one banana provides nearly 20% of your regular recommended intake of vitamin B6! Apart from that, bananas also has a high level of iron and magnesium, which help in treating anaemia and maintain heart and stomach health.

Improved skin quality: Bananas are great for your skin! Why buy expensive banana packs when you can just eat a banana and then use its peel to prepare your own face pack? Bananas help treat warts, acne, and psoriasis. The fatty acid in the banana peels also moisturises the skin and gives an even texture.

Healthier bones: If you suffer from lactose intolerance, bananas are one of the best substitutes of dairy products to contribute to your regular intake of calcium. Two bananas each day can provide you with the right amount of calcium that your body requires to maintain healthy bones.

Bananas are a ‘wonder fruit’ for people trying to deal with a horde of minor health issues. A couple of bananas each day or about 6 bananas a week can leave a massive impact in your body with regard to overall health. Bananas can also make you give up your iron, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin B supplements! And sure enough, they are indeed a tasty way to maintain good health! If you don’t like bananas as raw fruits, whip up some cool recipes and you’re good to go!